Month: December 2016

Reading List - PGP, Daydream VR, North Carolina and Democracy

Filippo Valsorda:

After years of wrestling with GnuPG with varying levels of enthusiasm, I came to the conclusion that it's just not worth it, and I'm giving up—at least on the concept of long-term PGP keys. This editorial is not about the gpg tool itself, or about tools at all. Many others have already written about that. It's about the long-term PGP key model—be it secured by Web of Trust, fingerprints or Trust on First Use—and how it failed me. — Filippo Valsorda

Neal Walfield:

Every once in a while, a prominent member of the security community publishes an article about how horrible OpenPGP is. Matthew Green wrote one in 2014 and Moxie Marlinspike wrote one in 2015. The most recent was written by Filippo Valsorda, here on the pages of Ars Technica, which Matthew Green says "sums up the main reason I think PGP is so bad and dangerous."

In this article I want to respond to the points that Filippo raises. In short, Filippo is right about some of the details, but wrong about the big picture. For the record, I work on GnuPG, the most popular OpenPGP implementation. — Neal Walfield

I have re-considered my use of GPG recently. I found that the tools did not always work well with my mail reader and no one else I know uses encrypted email. But this discussion over the use of long-term keys is more about security and less about user experience.

Tom Mainelli:

Unfortunately, at least for me, these experiences are still best enjoyed in brief bursts. While Daydream is certainly a better experience than Cardboard, I still find myself limited to a maximum of 20-25 minutes in the viewer. Part of the issue is my eyes and brain just seem to find VR experiences taxing (I’m also not a big fan of 3D movies). — Tom Mainelli

I have not used any VR systems, but I have had very negative experiences with 3D movies. I don't think feeling sick after a movie is an experience the producer wants me to have. When the 3D TV hype was just starting, I remember telling my friends, "this is garbage."

In the just released EIP report, North Carolina’s overall electoral integrity score of 58⁄100 for the 2016 election places us alongside authoritarian states and pseudo-democracies like Cuba, Indonesia and Sierra Leone. If it were a nation state, North Carolina would rank right in the middle of the global league table — a deeply flawed, partly free democracy that is only slightly ahead of the failed democracies that constitute much of the developing world. — Andrew Reynolds, professor of political science at the University of North Carolina

What if this becomes a trend?

Troon Brewing Grand Opening

Troon Brewing Co. does not sell any beer for on-site consumption and does not have a taproom. They sell beer to go in pre-filled, 32oz crowler cans.

Troon Brewing had been open for a while when they announced their Grand Opening in collaboration with Brick Farm Tavern. I'm not sure what the Grand Opening point was, but it was received with much enthusiasm. Brick Farm Tavern guests had brunch at the Tavern while sampling Troon's fine ales and porter. Troon Brewing's brewer, Alex, provided tours of the brewery while filling growlers of his excellent ales. I spoke to one gentleman who had travelled up from Atlantic City, but most visitors were locals from Somerset, Mercer, Hunterdon, and Middlesex counties. Bhavana and I filled two growlers; one with an American Pale Wheat Ale entitled Dog-Earned Novel and the other Take Off Your Skin And Dance In Your Bones.

Name: Troon Brewing Co.
Location: Hopewell Township, Mercer County, New Jersey
Recommended Beer: Everything
Notes: Troon Brewing Co. does not sell any beer for on-site consumption and has no taproom. They sell beer to go in pre-filled, 32oz crowler cans.

Saturday 10 December, 2016 | Nikon D5100 | 35 mm f/1.8

I am not certain, but I think the man in the photo below is Alex's Dad, but I believe it is. Or maybe he's the owner of the Brick Farm Tavern. I don't know the name of the woman he's talking to, but she may be someone close to the family.

Troon Brewing Grand Opening | Saturday 10 December, 2016 | Nikon D5100 | 35 mm f/1.8
Saturday 10 December, 2016 | Nikon D5100 | 35 mm f/1.8
Saturday 10 December, 2016 | Nikon D5100 | 35 mm f/1.8
Saturday 10 December, 2016 | Nikon D5100 | 35 mm f/1.8
Saturday 10 December, 2016 | Nikon D5100 | 35 mm f/1.8
Saturday 10 December, 2016 | Nikon D5100 | 35 mm f/1.8
Saturday 10 December, 2016 | Nikon D5100 | 35 mm f/1.8
Saturday 10 December, 2016 | Nikon D5100 | 35 mm f/1.8

Sharpening Your Images for Online Viewing

Looking back, I can't help but go "Doh!" It's one of those moments when I realise I should have known better. After all, I've been at this photography thing for quite a while. But hey, better late than never, right?

Recently, I was browsing some images on another website and was in awe of their crispness. In comparison, my own photos always seemed a bit fuzzy. Naturally, I started questioning myself - was it my focus, my camera, or perhaps the lenses?

I have two Nikkor lenses, the 35mm f/1.8 G and the 85mm f/1.8 G, both highly regarded. So, that couldn't be the issue. Maybe it was my eyes? Being 50 and dealing with diabetes and a cataract didn't help either.

Determined to find an answer, I turned to Google for some "research". After thirty minutes of digging, I found two websites that shed light on my problem. It seemed like the culprit wasn't my gear or eyesight but rather how I prepared my images for the internet.

I decided to experiment. I had some photos taken during a brewery event and sharpened them using Nik's Output Sharpener as suggested. The difference was remarkable - the noise reduction before sharpening made the pictures stand out.

These images were captured in low light conditions, which meant shooting at higher ISO to avoid motion blur. I applied Nik's Dfine 2 to reduce noise for some of them, and the results were worth it.

Alex Helms, Troon Brewing
Alex Helms, Troon Brewing · Saturday 10 December 2016 · Nikon D5100 · AF-S Nikkor 35 mm f/1.8
Alex Helms, Troon Brewing
Alex Helms, Troon Brewing · Saturday 10 December 2016 · Nikon D5100 · AF-S Nikkor 35 mm f/1.8

When dealing with images containing noticeable noise, I've discovered that reducing noise before applying sharpening yields better results. For this purpose, I found Nik's Define 2 to be quite effective in reducing noise in the original image. With Nik Dfine 2, I can independently adjust contrast and reduce colour noise, tailoring the noise reduction for each picture. Typically, I stick to the default settings or add just one additional noise measurement control point to remove noise selectively.

These particular images were taken during Troon Brewing's Grand Opening at Brick Farm Tavern, where the indoor lighting posed a challenge. To counteract the low light conditions and prevent blur, I had to shoot at ISO 1600 and above to maintain a sufficiently fast shutter speed.

I must admit, doing this sooner would have drastically improved the quality of my "beertography". But hey, learning and growing is part of the journey.

So, here's to sharpened images and continuous improvement! Cheers! 🥂

Troon Brewing Grand Opening Brewery Tour
Troon Brewing Grand Opening Brewery Tour · Saturday 10 December 2016 · Nikon D5100 · AF-S Nikkor 35 mm f/1.8